Amiri Baraka, "we should involve ourselves in...trying to transform the society” -The Poetry Center

Full-program video with downloadable audio option at Poetry Center Digital Archive: diva.sfsu.edu/...
"The work that we should involve ourselves in should be work at trying to transform the society….”
Amiri Baraka talks to students at San Francisco State University on March 22, 1977, in the César Chavez Student Center, presented by The Poetry Center at San Francisco State. This excerpt from Baraka's complete presentation, with his talk followed by a reading of new poems, concludes with his explanation of Marx's concept of surplus value:
“What is surplus value? Surplus value is all the wealth the workers create that they don’t get.”
This video clip is from the first of two programs featuring Baraka on the same day, with a reading and extended interaction with the audience later that evening at New College of California in San Francisco's Mission district also now available.
#poetrycenterarchivegoeslive #amiribaraka

[@jahlbrown8361]

As someone born in 90s -This is deep. He was speaking to my grandparents (college aged at this time) and next up was my parents. And this is so true, they were preparing to be in the middle class, outfitted just to be a communicator of a facade. Unfortunately, my people/my village didn’t progress too far, but I am changing this. And his son is doing a phenomenal with our city, IMHO. I look forward to working with him soon.

[@poetrycenterarchivegoeslive]

so beautiful to see Ras Baraka carrying his parents and brothers and sisters work

[@justice5820]

sharp and honest, still translating consciousness in 2024 . Thank you Baba Baraka. Example of our "obligations to future generations"

[@ericmuschlitz7619]

This Gentle man, was one of our most articulate poets As a nation, and i argue,( i had to correct the spell checker twice to confirm "lower case" i's, (un-paranthesized), was the Abraham of Rap.

[@classiql]

*Heat! 🔥 🔥 🔥*

[@medusabrown420]

I saw him in the 90s. He informed us about gentrification!

[@Jerry-xs1uz]

SHALOM to this MASTER BLACK 👑 KING AND TEACHER!!!

[@basiraashley]

On point

[@Majesticon]

1:49 heat

[@Osman-mj5rf]

Tell me brother.

[@deskryptic]

Dude

[@ziraprod6090]

Why not transform you?

[@lankeykong]

Because the environment that oppresses you prevents you from reaching enlightenment, from reaching a true positive transformation! So by acting the part, by participating within the environment with the desire to transform it, you actively transform yourself.

[@stevedickison]

one is social also

[@deskryptic]

Transform your self, transform the world

[@etherealtree]

We can only change so much within the purposeful limits of capitalism. I can only be what the systems and institutions allow me to be; in order to transform myself, I have to change what allows me not to.

[@colasrtney]

This poem is terrible.

[@Carl-b1q]

This Bro. is vomiting all this rhetoric about not supporting the "bourgeoisie", and watched his own son aspire to be, and to become Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. These fake ass revolutionaries from the 50's and 60's were pathetic.

[@poetrycenterarchivegoeslive]

apparently you prefer the powers that were in power